Kazahaya's Letter
by Chocolate-Obsessed
Summary: This is about a mission that Kakei sent Rikuo and Kazahaya on. Rikuo gets temporary amnesia, and Kazahaya wrote him a letter to give him an account of what happened on the mission. But, hey, where's Kazahaya? RikuoxKazahaya in the end. COMPLETE!
1. The Introduction

Title: Kazahaya's Letter

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Legal Drug...

A/N: A little out of character, I know, but as I say with almost all my fics, it had to be that way.

Chapter One: The Introduction

Rikuo awoke with a groan. His head was pounding, and, as was most of his injuries, it was caused by a small golden eyed brunette. He could not remember exactly what happened the night before, just that Kakei had given him and Kazahaya another one of those, suspicious, jobs, and like always, something had gone terribly wrong. Rikuo painfully sat up on his bed and reached over for the glass of water on his night stand. He took a small sip, and felt the cool liquid drip down his raw throat. He assumed the fact that his throat felt like it was in shreds was that he had been yelling at Kazahaya... why? This, hopefully temporary, amnesia was really starting to ride on Rikuo's last nerve.

"Ah, you're awake," a familiarly cheerful voice rang out. Rikuo turned his head toward the origin of the noise, ignoring the stabs in his temples. As thought, Kakei was standing in the doorway, holding what looked like a bowl of soup and a cup of tea. Saiga was standing just behind Kakei, looking semi-uninterested, but still full of concern. Though one really couldn't tell, what with the glasses obscuring his eyes. Saiga always looked the same no matter what was happening.

Kakei walked toward Rikuo's bed, placing the tray of food on his night stand. "Do you feel any better than you look?" Kakei asked.

Rikuo looked at Kakei a little lost... what did he look like? As if reading Rikuo's mind, Kakei produced a small hand mirror from the pocket of his coat. "Here," Kakei said, smiling angelically. Rikuo took the mirror and examined his face. It was bad. He had a big gash on the right side of his forehead and a split lip, as well as numerous minor cuts and bruises.

Rikuo placed the mirror on his lap, not wanting to look anymore. "No, I don't feel nearly as bad as I look. Although, I can't seem to remember anything from last night. ...Did something bad happen to Kazahaya?"

"That's so cute, you openly worried about Kazahaya," Saiga smirked.

Rikuo gave Saiga one of the deadliest glares he could come up with. "No, just if I'm in this position, he must have quite a few broken bones."

"No," Kakei replied, "Kaza-kun doesn't have any broken bones, nor does he have any cuts or bruises, like you." Kakei motioned at Rikuo's forehead.

"But, that doesn't make any sense. How could I end up like this and he not even get cut?" Rikuo was utterly confused, it seemed as if the tables had turned. Who would've ever thought Rikuo would be the one in bed and Kazahaya the one that had escaped without a scratch?

Seeing the look on Rikuo's face Kakei decided to explain what he could. "Well, this whole fiasco started when I gave you and Kazahaya-kun a job. It was a simple job, as most of mine are," Kakei smiled again, "but this one was a little different."

Rikuo squinted his eyes at that comment. He did remember this part, at least more than he did the actual job. He also remembered his stupid roommate jumping into it right off the bat, like he always did. And when Kakei told them that this job was going to, undoubtedly, be harder than the others, Rikuo remembered smiling evilly over at the stunned Kazahaya. Finally, Kazahaya had gotten himself into something that would likely stop him from taking these jobs so quickly.

"As I was saying," Kakei continued, "this job was a little different. Do you remember why, Rikuo-chan?"

"No, I just remember it being different."

"Well, it was different because the item I wanted you to get was guarded by something. And this something was not going to give it up easily." Kakei laughed a little. "I remember you asking me, with that very serious look you always have, 'What kind of "something" is this?' You looked very professional." Kakei laughed again. "Kind of like the look you're giving me now."

Rikuo did look very serious, he didn't think this situation merited anything less. He continued to look that way at the giggling man, expecting him to come back to his senses and finish telling the amnesiac what had happened.

Kakei could see that Rikuo was waiting, rather patiently too, and calmed himself down.

"Yes, well, anyway," He said, regaining his composure, "You both took the job, though you were a little more suspicious than your counterpart. And that's all I can tell you."

Rikuo doubted this, but didn't think Kakei would continue.

"So where's Kazahaya to tell me the rest?" Rikuo asked.

Kakei and Saiga looked at each other. They looked worried. Rikuo could feel his stomach drop a little. Then Kakei looked back at Rikuo and smiled. He rustled about in his coat again, and brought forth a small white envelope.

"This should explain everything."

A/N: Well, there's the first chapter of my first LD fic. Didn't go too bad. Goody! Please Review! I love reviews... even bad ones... just don't make them too bad, or I'm liable to cry. T-T


	2. The Letter

A/N: All italics are meant to be Kazahaya's letter.

Chapter Two: The Letter

Rikuo looked at the envelope in his hand. Neatly written on the front was his name. It was light, maybe only a couple of sheets of paper.

"What is this?" He asked aloud to himself. Kakei and Saiga had left immediately after Kakei had given Rikuo the letter, obviously thinking he needed to be alone to read the contents.

So he was alone in his room, staring at an envelope. He was a little wary to open it, knowing that anything Kakei wouldn't tell him was bound to be bad. Why didn't Kazahaya want to see him? Rikuo knew that his coworker didn't like him very much, but Kazahaya was still courteous. No doubt Kazahaya would stay in with Rikuo until the taller boy felt good enough to stand. Had Rikuo done something to Kazahaya to make him feel unsafe? 'Well, if these questions don't kill me, the apprehension will,' Rikuo thought.

He breathed deeply and ripped off the side of the envelope, opened it slightly, and tapped the other side with his fingertips. A small, folded piece of paper fell out and landed on his lap. For a second, he stared at the letter, not wanting to read the news inside, but not wanting live in ignorance either. Once more, he breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and picked up the paper. With his eyes still closed, he unfolded it, and spread it flat against his legs. Then he lifted it again, held it in front of his face, and opened his eyes.

He read:

_Dear Rikuo, wait, that sounds stupid. Um... can I just say... "Rikuo?" Nah, but "Dear Rikuo" sounds sappy, and I'm not being sappy here! _

Rikuo sighed and thought, 'It's just like Kazahaya to write down all of his thoughts in a letter.'

_Anyway, Kakei-san told me to write you a letter, telling you what happened to us out at that house. He would have rather made me stay and tell you in person, but, something came up, something I need to deal with. _

_I hope you're feeling better. _

_So, let me start at the beginning._

_We left the store after closing time, like we usually do when we go on these jobs. You were dressed in a simple black jacket with two white stripes down the sleeves. You had on a pair of dark blue jeans, and basic black shoes. If you're wondering why I'm telling you what you were wearing, feel safe in knowing that Kakei-san told me to do it, to try and help refresh your memory. I wonder why Kakei-san thought you'd lost your memory?_

Rikuo brought his hands up to his eyes and rubbed them. Was the entire letter going to be

this way? He continued:

_I was wearing a light blue button-up shirt and my heavy jacket over it. I had blue jeans on, too, and my sneakers. It wasn't particularly cold out, but it was chilly, considering the sun had just set over the horizon. The house we were supposed to go to was just out of the city, and we estimated that it would take about an hour to get there. From the picture Kakei-san gave us, it looked like a really creepy house. Really old, and really creepy. I don't like ghosts, you know that, so on the way up there you were constantly teasing me, telling me not to be scared, because you were there, but then turning it around by saying, "I don't know what I can do against a ghost though." Stupid you. _

_Anyway, the house was old, made in the traditional Japanese style, like the house we visited when we were trying to find that haunted book. It was bigger than that though, it had an almost Western feel to it. The paint was chipping off, and the deck looked none too sturdy. I know you couldn't do anything against ghosts, but I felt safe with you none the less. _

Rikuo's eyes opened a little to that very un-Kazahaya-like comment. Although, he couldn't blame the little rat for feeling safe with him, after all, Rikuo was constantly saving him from certain death.

_When we arrived at the house, I suddenly felt very cold, as if the house itself was forcing a chill down my spine. I could feel an evil aura coming out of it, and I almost grabbed your arm. I didn't like that feeling, it was ominous. But when I looked at you, your face was...inquisitive. Almost as if you could feel what I was feeling, but didn't quite know what it was. It was uncomfortable to feel the way I did and then to look at you and see you being so calm, like nothing was wrong. Undoubtedly, I squirmed about a bit. If you were in the right state of mind, you probably would have teased me. _

_We walked up to the gate and stopped near the lock. I knew it would be no problem for you, with your power and all. But you didn't snap the lock, as I had expected. You just stood there, looking at the house, like you were in a trance. I hated it. It scared me. I wanted to take you by the shoulders and shake you awake. I wanted to wake you up so bad, if you got caught in a trance like that so easily, what would happen to me? And why wasn't I feeling that way. That's usually the way it happens. Maybe that's what scared me, because it should've been me. _

_Luckily, you snapped out of the spell, and then looked at me. That kinda freaked me out too. You weren't looking at me with the usual look, the one I've gotten accustomed to. This one was different. It was... I don't know. It was different and that's all that mattered. I looked down at the lock, not finding the power to look back into your eyes. I wished to all that was good and powerful that you would stop looking at me like that, so we could get on with our mission. I heard a snap, and realized that I had closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the lock was broken and laying on the ground, and you were walking away from me. I screamed out to you, and you turned around, waiting for me to catch up. You said something like..._

"_Well, if you're going to stand about with your eyes closed..." But I didn't listen to the rest. _

_We continued to walk toward the house, all the while, the ominous feeling I felt inside was growing._

A/N: Hmm... what's going to happen next? If you leave plenty of reviews, I'll post the next chapter, because, of course, I've already finished this fic. Just waiting for reviews...


	3. The House

A/N: Hehehehehe... I love waiting to post these chapters... I don't know why, maybe I'm a sadist. No, I know I am. So please continue to tell me that I'm evil. It's positively marvelous.

And because my fabulous readers write posts that seem like they're in pain... I decided to post this earlier than I would have regularly. But don't expect this all the time.

Chapter Three: The House

Rikuo sat on his bed slowly sipping his miso soup. It was cold by now, he had completely forgot about it when he was reading the letter. Rikuo didn't mind though, his mind was far away, contemplating what he had read. Did he remember any of it? Yes, bits and pieces, most of which wouldn't have made any sense without Kazahaya's description of the first part of the journey. He remembered emotions strongly, happiness, fear, anger...love. That last one confused him, love? Love for what? He didn't have the capacity to think about it just yet. Maybe if he read more of the letter.

He placed the empty bowl back on the tray and picked up Kazahaya's letter again.

_We reached the door in what seemed like ages. I could have sworn that driveway was getting longer and longer. The steps creaked under our weight, and the wind blew cold air right up my shirt. I thought that would be impossible, considering the layers I was wearing. That wind made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I didn't like that house one bit, and it didn't help that we went to it in the middle of the night. With each creak came each though of how I was going to die. I could see it, or I thought I could. Maybe the house was sending visions to me, memories of how people died in the past. It couldn't have been my death, because I can't see the future. Or at least, that's what I told myself. _

_The doorway was an easy problem to solve for you. Before we even arrived at it, I could hear the lock break, and the door slid open just a little. I took a deep breath and followed you inside, fearing what I'd see. It was a regular, unused house. The cobwebs were draped over everything. Cobwebs creep me out. They're sticky and have spiders on them... You were unfazed by them, wiping them away at first annoyance. _

"_Hey, Rikuo," I asked you, even though I knew I was going to get a glance from you and then an 'idiot,' "What are we looking for again?"_

_You replied, as I predicted, with an "Idiot, we're looking for a ring. Just a simple, plain, gold ring. Will you remember that?"_

_I gruffed as I usually did, and nodded my head so severely I thought it was going to break off. We continued walking and I started wondering where we were going, when you stopped and motioned for me to do the same. We stood there for a long time listening. For what I didn't have a clue, but you seemed very intent, as if you had actually heard movement. Then, as suddenly as you had stopped, you straightened up again and looked around. I felt completely lost, like I had missed something that was terribly important. _

_You turned back around to face me, "I think we should..." You started._

"_No, if you say split up, I say no." I was determined not to split up, it was bad enough being in a creepy old mansion that had thoughts of death on its every foundation, but to be there without you by my side, I would have gone insane. _

_You looked at me and turned back around without so much as a protest. I think you knew what I was thinking, no, I knew you knew what I was thinking. So, thanks for staying with me. _

Rikuo sat in his bed, dumbfounded. This paper Kazahaya was much nicer than the flesh and blood Kazahaya.

_We searched all around that house, never finding anything more than a little bit of silver cutlery and a few broken flower pots. Oh yeah, and a whole lot of spider webs. I let you take the liberty of going in front of me the entire way, just to force you to take them down. We were exhausted. But you kept going, set on finding that ring, and therefore getting out of there. I should have been so fixed on that goal, but I was just too tired. It felt like the spirit of the house, or whatever you want to call it, was sucking the energy out of me. I ignored it though, seeing how you were still pressing on. _

_Twice around that house, and still nothing. You sat down on a stair and looked up at me. _

"_We must be missing something," you said, your brow furrowed, "what though? What?"_

"_Maybe there's a basement, or an attic," I said, though, by this time, I was almost asleep. _

_The look you gave me was one of pure amazement, as if I had discovered something only you were supposed to know. Then you smiled at me, which I would have found weird, if I was fully conscious. So instead, I smiled back. _

_You got up quickly, inspired with a new vigor to find a latch somewhere that would lead you to a basement or an attic. I followed along, only slightly less enthused. By that time it was getting hard just keeping my eyes open, yet you didn't notice. After what seemed like forever, you found a little string with a wooden ball attached at the end, which could only mean that was an entrance to the attic. You pulled on this string, and a small extendable stairway fell down in front of us. _

_You looked as if you found a hidden chocolate shop in the attic, peering in all the dusty old boxes and wondering which would contain the most treasured prize. If you had been a little less wrapped around your image, you would've been bouncing up and down, maybe even laughing a little. Or that's the impression I got. Maybe I was just feeling a drowsy, I was probably hallucinating. _

_The attic was endless. At this point I sat down and let you do the work, since you seemed so uppity. I must've dozed off, because the next thing I knew, you were tugging at my sleeve and pulling me toward a large armoire, pointing and talking rapidly about 'it.' There was definitely something wrong with the way you were acting, never in the whole time I have known you have you ever acted this...happy. We reached the armoire, and there it was, sitting neatly on a shelf in velvet lined box. Looking at it, I thought it did look rather drab, just a boring piece of gold made to fit around a finger. _

_Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realize a sound coming from behind us._

A/N: Sigh Another chapter gone... and another to post, if only I get the reward of sweet reviews...


	4. The Monster

Chapter Four: The Monster

Rikuo looked up from the paper with worry written all over his face. Even though he knew Kazahaya was alive (although he didn't know where he was) he felt a tightening in his chest. He remembered being immensely happy, and not paying attention to anything else except the ring. Why was he so happy? It was very out of character for him, and he was starting to wonder why he was acting that way. And why was Kazahaya so tired?

_I was looking at you, while you were looking at the ring. You seemed to be coming out of that weird state, as I was too, and you seemed to be remembering what you acted like. I would have laughed at you, and I probably did, because you turned around to glare at me and make some witty retort. _

_Something you saw must've changed that look within a spit second, because I saw your face go from glare to stare. Your eyes grew large and you made a little grunt as you pushed me to one side. I fell into some boxes, not even worried about spiders anymore. I was worried about you, if it wasn't something really bad you would've ignored it and gone straight to teasing me. When I lifted myself out of the rubble of old clothes and china, I saw that something that which made your eyes grow large like mine. It was huge, how it fit into the attic was completely beyond me, especially in my current state of panic. It was a large spider thing, it was hairy and hard to see in the dark. It was coming after you with long sharp legs, but you were dodging them expertly. I had to go and screw things up. I screamed out at you, and you turned your head to look at me. That's when it got you, right across the head._

Rikuo unconsciously brought his hand up to the gash on his forehead. He started to remember that fight, he had tried to go on the offensive, but that...thing had armor-like skin.

_I remembered what Kakei-san told us, this job was going to be a little different, a little harder. I thought to myself, yeah, a _little_ harder. It got you again, flinging you like a rag doll to the opposite side of the room. I screamed out your name again, but you didn't stir. My stomach dropped, if you were so easily beaten, what would I be like? _

Rikuo glared at the paper, since Kazahaya wasn't there to receive it. All the concern he had for his roommate was not returned. But what should he expect from Kazahaya?

_The monster, instead of coming for me, crawled back into the darkness, leaving me stunned beyond all my wits and you laying unconscious in a pile of junk similar to the one I landed on. I heard something being repeated over and over again, and I realized it was coming from me. I was whispering your name. My head snapped from the direction the monster disappeared to where you were groaning softly on the boxes. The next few minutes seemed to fast forward as I ran to your side and lifted you into my arms. You were unconscious by then, completely unconscious. I started saying your name louder, hoping that you would wake up, but you didn't. Suddenly, a problem popped into my head. How was I going to get you back home?_

_By some magic of the will I managed to drag you out of the attic. All thoughts of the monster in that attic were completely erased from my brain, all my thoughts were directed at your well being. I couldn't believe that you had put yourself in harms way again, just for me. You got hurt because of me. Again. That's always the part that gets me. You seem to be such a jerk to me almost all the time, but then you save me. Why? So you can tease me? I find that hard to believe. _

Rikuo felt his heart beat faster. Kazahaya was actually thinking this out. And he was coming to rational conclusions, not just assuming the worst of Rikuo. Rikuo smiled as he wondered what Kazahaya would pull out of this. Would he realize why Rikuo saved him time and again? He loved the little brat, with all his quirks and his quick temper. The way he slept right before the compulsion Rikuo had to drop something heavy on his stomach. Kazahaya did not see the way Rikuo stole little glances at him when he would stretch to place something on a high shelf, or at the way he would seize up when Saiga grabbed his waist. Rikuou thought about it a moment longer before deciding that he probably shouldn't make assumptions. It was better to hear it directly from the source.

_Maybe there is a potential for being your friend. _

Rikuo smiled, a real smile. He was truly happy. He made a mental note to be nicer to Kazahaya from then on.

_Anyway, I pulled you as far as I could, which stopped at the front door. There was no way I would drag you across the pavement, that would probably hurt you more. But I couldn't lift you like you lift me, that was physically impossible. I sat on the floor next to your body, unsure of what to do. It took me a long time to come up with a plan, and once I did, I was kicking myself for taking so long. Call Kakei-san. While waiting for Kakei-san to come, I was muttering insults at myself, since you weren't aware to be doing it for me. _

_Kakei-san didn't take long to get there because I told him that you were unconscious and probably dying. I didn't want to believe that, but it made Kakei-san get there in record time. _

_When I heard a car come up the drive, I felt pressure building in my sinuses and forehead. I reached up to see what it was and felt tears coming out of my eyes. With Kakei-san, nothing bad could happen. Although, that's what I thought with you. And now look at you. _

_He took us home, the whole way there I had your head in my lap. You looked so peaceful, I took that as a sign that you weren't having nightmares, and not a sign that you were dead. Though, if I hadn't been so freaked out by everything that happened that night, I would've just looked at your chest to see that you were still breathing. _

_The drive home was uneventful, you never woke up and I fell asleep. _

_From what I gathered, when we got home Saiga carried you up to your room and then came back to get me, seeing as how I was still asleep. I had a night of fitful dreams, most all of them containing either you or a certain hairy beast. When I woke up in the morning, I felt a distinct pain in my stomach, and thinking you had dropped something on me, I sat straight up to see how you were feeling. But when I sat up, no one was there. Confused for a second, I swung my legs over the side of my bed and felt my stomach growl. That pain was just hunger. I sat on my bed feeling a little disappointed. My normal wake-up call was probably still laying in his bed, the agony of the wounds received the night before tormenting him to no end. Ok, so I was probably going overboard on how much pain you were in, but I couldn't help it. _

_When I finally got into the kitchen, I was surprised to see Kakei-san and Saiga-san sitting on the floor drinking tea. _

_Kakei-san looked up at me and smiled, "Did you sleep well?" _

"_Not really," I replied. Kakei-san got up and started to make me breakfast, he also said that, unfortunately, we would not be getting paid for this job. We failed to get the ring. I stared at Kakei-san, knowing that we didn't get the item, but still feeling disappointed. I felt light-headed as I remembered that monster retreating, and how easy it would have been to just pick up the ring while I walked over to you. _

_I sat in silence as I ate my breakfast. I was thinking of a way to get that ring. Thinking of a weakness in the monster, a weakness that would allow me to get the ring and not get killed. _

_A lightbulb snapped on._

_I know how to get the ring. You're probably not going to be awake by the time I leave, so I'm going to do it without you. I know, you think that's a stupid idea, because I usually get a foot away from death before you come in and save me, but I'm positive I can do this one alone. So don't worry. Just sit there and get better. _

_Kazahaya_

A/N: Stupid Kazahaya... LEAVE REVIEWS!


	5. Saving Kazahaya

A/N: Wow, this is my longest chapter...ever. Well, it's also full of a lot of action, so I hope you enjoy it. Thanks reviewers!

Chapter Five: Saving Kazahaya

Rikuo jumped out of bed. What the hell was Kazahaya thinking? Even if Kazahaya seemed to posses a lot of confidence on this matter, his talent at getting into trouble was definitely going to overpower that. Rikuo ignored the pain in his head, which had gone down from when he awoke, and quickly pulled some clothes on. He slammed the door of his bedroom open and was greeted by two stunned looks from Kakei and Saiga. They looked as if they were talking about something before Rikuo had interrupted. This was of no importance to Rikuo, seeing that his mind was cursing the very life of Kazahaya.

"Rikuo, you really shouldn't be up," Kakei said. "You're still..."

"When did he leave?" Rikuo cut in.

"I don't think that's such a good..." Kakei began.

"I don't have time for this," Rikuo snarled, "please, when did he leave?"

This time it was Saiga's turn to chime in. "He left about fifteen minutes before you woke up, so, including the time you took reading his letter, I'd say about thirty minutes ago."

"Thanks," Rikuo said.

Kakei sighed. He could see that he wasn't going to be able to stop resolute boy from going to find Kaza-kun. "Well, if you're going to leave, you may as well take my car. It only takes thirty-five minutes to get there by car, which should only put a five minute Gap between when you arrive and when Kaza-kun arrived." Kakei smiled as Rikuo took the keys, not even bothering to say 'thank you'.

The two adults watched as Rikuo sprinted down the stairs and out of the shop.

"At least he cares what happens to Kazahaya, even if he doesn't consider himself," Kakei said quietly.

"Yep, those two are going to be inseparable after this," Saiga agreed.

Rikuo couldn't get the car started fast enough. It seemed as if everything in his world was collapsing, the uncertainty of what would happen to Kazahaya if he didn't arrive soon enough was killing him. How could Kazahaya be so foolish?

When the car finally started, Rikuo floored the gas pedal. In no time at all, he was zooming down the freeway looking carefully for his exit. The first time they went to that house they took the bus, therefor he wasn't paying attention to what exit they took. He vaguely remembered looking at an uncontrollable little boy who was awing at everything that passed. Why the country amazed Kazahaya so much was beyond Rikuo's little comprehension of the smaller boys behavior.

The gravel crackled as he drove the car over it. He skidded to a halt just in front of the porch, almost crashing into it, and jumped out of the car. Rikuo could feel Kazahaya's presence, so he must've just entered. Rikuo looked the old house over, shuddering slightly when he looked up at a window to the attic.

The inside of the house was as dingy and dank as ever, though he didn't really remember it. In places here and there, the spider webs were displaced, or the dust was not so thick. His feet took him to the place where the attic stairs had been, and much to his displeasure, he found it open. He was just about to yell out Kazahaya's name when he heard a scream.

Rikuo's heart pounded faster, and he could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins. He jumped the stairs two at a time, hoping against all hope that Kazahaya wasn't dead. When he reached the top and looked around the sunlit attic, he saw nothing except dusty boxes and the old armoire.

"Kazahaya?" Rikuo asked tentatively.

"Rikuo...?" he heard a small voice come out from behind a stack of boxes toward his right. Rikuo dashed over to see what had happened, and when he reached the spot, he was shocked at what he saw.

Kazahaya sat cross-legged, leaning against the attic wall. He wasn't badly hurt, though his shirt would be one that he would never wear again. It had a rip in it almost as long as the length of the shirt itself. He had a little bit of blood coming from just above his left eyebrow, and a little scratch on his chin. He had a constant stream of tears dripping out of his eyes and spilling down his chest. But that's not what shocked Rikuo. For sitting on Kazahaya's lap was a mini version of the monster they had lost against yesterday. It was bleeding profusely from an opening in its back, and following the blood stains in the wood, Rikuo saw a silver candlestick with a bloodied tip. He looked back at Kazahaya, who was now cradling the monster in his arms.

"Kazahaya?" Rikuo asked again, but this time with a quizzical tone.

"He just wanted to protect it," Kazahaya said through his sobs. "His master was a scientist, of sorts, and created him so he could protect the house. But since his master's demise, his power has been growing weaker, until all he could do was sulk about in the attic. His form changes when the sun is up, because he hates the sun, it's too bright." Kazahaya started to cry harder, his breath becoming ragged. "And I killed him. All he wanted to do was protect what he cared about."

Rikuo squatted down to be on an equal level with Kazahaya. He looked into the watery eyes before him and knew that Kazahaya was crying because he'd seen the monster's memories. And Kazahaya always gets the emotions along with the memories. The creature must have been in deep grief over his masters death, and now Kazahaya was feeling that grief.

Rikuo closed his eyes briefly, and then helped Kazahaya stand up, which was more difficult than Rikuo predicted, as Kazahaya's ankle was twisted. Rikuo cringed at the fact that when Kazahaya stood up, he held fast onto the dead beast.

"Wouldn't you like to let go of that thing?" Rikuo asked with a disgusted look on his face.

"No, we gotta bury it. It's the least I can do since I killed it." Kazahaya looked at the floor. The crying had ceased, but there was still an aura of dysphoria encircling him.

"How did you know it would be in a weakened state during the day time?" Rikuo asked, wondering when this new, smart, Kazahaya had started.

Kazahaya looked up at the taller boy and smiled. "I didn't," Kazahaya said, "I just thought that if I had the ring, it wouldn't hurt me, because it seemed to be protecting it."

Rikuo sighed inwardly and shifted Kazahaya's weight so he rested more comfortably on his shoulder. He remembered the pact he made with himself to not be such an ass toward Kazahaya. "Where is the ring now?"

"It's in my back pocket," Kazahaya said looking over his left shoulder at his pocket. "I'm sure it'll be safe in there, but if you want it..." Kazahaya blushed, he didn't mean to say that out loud.

Rikuo smiled and used all his will power not to take Kazahaya up on the offer.

The seconds of silence between them made Kazahaya a little anxious, he was sure Rikuo would tease him, say that he had impure thoughts about Rikuo sticking his hand in Kazahaya's back pocket. But Rikuo was silent. Kazahaya turned his head to look suspiciously at his roommate, wondering if the bump on his head was more damaging than first imagined.

"You really did hit your head." Kazahaya said.

"Well, yes. That's why I was out cold for half a day." Rikuo answered. Kazahaya was starting to get a little worried, he wasn't used to being treated so...nicely by Rikuo. Kazahaya wasn't complaining by any means, it was just different.

They had trouble going down the stairs, on account of Kazahaya's ankle. They got halfway down the stairs when Rikuo decided it would just be easier if he carried Kazahaya down. Kazahaya protested immensely, not liking the idea of being swung over Rikuo's shoulder. He finally conceded and, to his surprise, Rikuo bent down and picked up Kazahaya's legs, carrying him against his chest instead of over a shoulder.

"Rikuo?" Kazahaya asked. He waited for a nod and a look from the other before continuing, "Do you hate me?"

"What kind of question is that?" Rikuo asked, sounding a little offended. He gave Kazahaya a serious look

"I dunno, it's just, you always seem to make fun of me, for little things, too. It's like everything I do annoys you." Kazahaya looked down at his own chest, trying to keep his breathing regular. On top of being upset from the giant spiders memory, he was unbelievably close to the tall, dark, and handsome figure of his thoughts.

"No, Kazahaya, I don't hate you. In some ways, I like you," Rikuo said, feeling this was as good a time as any to come clean.

"You like me?" Kazahaya asked again, with a confused look directed upward.

They stopped at the bottom of the stairs, and Rikuo let go of Kazahaya's legs. The stare Kazahaya had on him never faltered, even as he was being let go and readjusted his grip on the taller boy's shoulder. Rikou could not ignore this stare forever, so he returned the look.

"Yes, you have...grown...on me," Rikuo said and looked away. Kazahaya's brain seemed to be processing too much, and it shown through his eyes. Rikuo couldn't stand it. It felt like he was being scrutinized at every move he made, every word he said.

"I like you too," Kazahaya said after a long and awkward silence. "I mean, you can be a bit of a jackass sometimes, but you can be very nice."

Rikuo smiled at that. Now that they got that settled, could they be...friends? Why did that word sound insufficient? Rikuo contemplated this, while Kazahaya, on the other hand, was singing in his head a catchy little tune he had heard on the tv a couple of days before. His mood had changed drastically, now he had his roommate exactly where he wanted him to start the second phase of his plan.

They buried the spider in the overgrown garden and took a moments peace. Kazahaya reflected on all the good memories the creature had with its master, while Rikuo thanked the gods that it didn't kill either one of them. Neither felt the spiteful aura coming from the house anymore.

When they arrived at the car, Kazahaya leaned up against it while Rikuo opened the door. Kazahaya reached into his back pocket and felt the ring, this item was different than all the others, well, Kakei said this mission was going to be different. When he touched the ring, he got no memories from it, for which he was glad, he had gotten enough from the spider-monster. But this still concerned Kazahaya, because the ring looked like it had been used, there were dents and scratches, so if it was used, it must have memories.

Kazahaya was pulled back to reality when he realized Rikuo was looking at him questioningly. Then he noticed that Rikuo's right hand was motioning toward the car. Kazahaya let out a little laugh, and hopped into the passengers seat.

Rikuo walked over to the driver's seat and opened the door. He paused, and turned around to the house, bidding it a silent good-bye. Then he got in, closed the door, and started the engine.

"I never knew you knew how to drive," Kazahaya said.

"Yeah, I don't drive often, only if someone's in trouble," He glanced over at Kazahaya with a smirk on his features. This whole be-nice-to-Kazahaya thing was going to be more difficult than he thought. Luckily Kazahaya only glared at him, a little less intense than was usual, Rikuo noticed.

They drove down the driveway in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, by all means it was relaxing. By this time, the regular Kazahaya would be screaming at the top of his lungs, and the regular Rikuo would be calling him an idiot and incessantly teasing him. But those were the old Kazahaya and Rikuo, the new ones were more willing to talk, in a normal manner.

When they got on the freeway, Kazahaya struck up a conversation about nothing in particular. This inane conversation lasted the entire way home, and yet, under amazing control, Rikuo didn't tease, instead he had a pleasant conversation. Kazahaya enjoyed this small talk, he was starting to relax with the new personality that had sprung out of Rikuo.

The store was a welcome sight for Kazahaya. Kakei and Saiga were standing outside, smiling at the arriving pair. Kazahaya felt his whole body get light and he felt like he was going to float away. Rikuo parked the car and went around to the side that Kazahaya was getting out of. He held the open door and gave a hand for Kazahaya to hold on to. Kakei and Saiga walked over to the boys, and offered help.

"That's okay, Kakei-san, I think Rikuo can hold me," Kazahaya answered.

"Alright," Kakei said, looking over at Saiga like they had a bet, and Saiga just lost. "Then if you'll just follow me into my office." And with that, he turned around and started walking off.

It felt like they had been out of the comfort of their home for a long time. Kazahaya had a stupid grin on his face that didn't look like it would likely go away all day, and Rikuo felt the same, just on the inside. Kazahaya let go of Rikuo's shoulder and slid down onto the couch, followed by Rikuo. Kakei sat on the other couch, facing them.

"Well, did you get the ring?" Kakei asked.

"Oh, right," Kazahaya said, lifting slightly off the couch to get the ring. He pulled it out, and offered it to Kakei with an open palm.

"Very good," Kakei said while taking the ring from Kazahaya.

"Um, Kakei-san?" Kazahaya asked cautiously, "I have a question about the ring."

"Of course, what is it?"

"Well," Kazahaya began, "I didn't get any memories from that ring, and it looks like it has been used."

"Right, this ring is not ordinary, as you've found out, Kaza-kun," Kakei smiled. "The person who owned this ring was a powerful psychic, he had studied his abilities and the abilities of others and, for some reason unknown to us, wiped the memories of this ring, or so to speak."

"Oh...that's amazing!" Kazahaya blurted out. "But why would he want to erase the rings memory?"

"I don't know," Kakei said, matter-of-factly. "And now is not the time to mull over such things. You two must be exhausted." He smiled his evilly angelic smile once more and sat up. Rikuo and Kazahaya followed suit and left the office. Kazahaya stopped suddenly, dragging Rikuo back with him.

"Kakei-san, don't you need us to work today?" Kazahaya asked.

Kakei continued his smile. "No, Kazahaya, that's alright, you and Rikuo can take the day off."

"Ah, thanks." And with that, Kazahaya turned and walked away. They had just started to mount the steps when an annoyingly familiar voice called after them.

"Hey, kids," Saiga called after them a sly smile gracing his face, "Have fun, you don't get a lot of days off."

The pair sighed simultaneously, both were too tired to fight back. But both were thinking the same thing.

A/N: Only one more chapter to go! And trust me, the next is my favorite. Review please!


	6. Breakthrough

A/N: So short... but it is sweet. And since this is my last chapter I'd like to thank all my reviewers, I just love to read those things, especially when you guys sound so annoyed. Near the end there I broke down and started giving out chapters every two days, so I wasn't too evil. Well, read and enjoy.

Chapter Six: Breakthrough

Kazahaya fell on his bed with a loud thump and lay with his arms outstretched. He breathed audibly and turned on his side to face his roommate. Rikuo was removing his jacket and hanging it up on the hanger, that simple motion made Kazahaya smile again. Now that him and Rikuo were on better terms with each other, he could tell Rikuo exactly what he was feeling without the fear of humiliation.

"Rikuo," Kazahaya whispered.

"Yeah?" Rikuo replied without turning around to face Kazahaya. If he had, he would have noticed that Kazahaya had shifted positions and was now sitting on the corner of his bed, his face down turned.

"I lied to you when I told you I liked you," Kazahaya said quietly, still looking down.

This made Rikuo turn around and look Kazahaya up and down. Did he just say that he liked Rikuo to play a cruel joke on him? Is this what it felt like when he picked on Kazahaya? Did it feel like the bottom of his stomach fell out? Rikuo displayed none of the internal battle in his movements or facial features.

Kazahaya took in a deep breath and continued. "I...well...it's just that..." Kazahaya stammered out.

Rikuo started to walk over to the distressed Kazahaya. With the uncertainty in Kazahaya's voice, all of Rikuo's fears had been washed away. He smiled pleasantly, and contained himself from laughing out loud, because if he did that, Kazahaya would take it the wrong way and get more upset. Then he reached out for Kazahaya's face and lifted it up.

The smile immediately vanished from his face, replaced by a frown. Kazahaya was crying. Obviously all the emotions that Kazahaya had previously suppressed were bubbling to the surface, and it was overwhelming. His golden eyes looked so sad, the slight shaking in his body becoming more noticeable. This hurt Rikuo more than words could tell, Kazahaya was feeling this way because of him. Well, not directly, but in Kazahaya's attempt to tell Rikuo his deep, hidden feelings he was being pained.

Without thinking, or perhaps he was, Rikuo kneeled down and brought Kazahaya's head toward his own. He looked into the other's eyes, and seeing no objection, lightly pressed his lips against Kazahaya's. He wanted to keep it as chaste as possible, fearing that to put more emotions on top of Kazahaya's growing pile would cause him to break under the pressure. When he pulled away, he sat back on his knees and waited for Kazahaya to say something.

The brunette just sat there, surprised at what he just participated in. 'It was like he was reading my mind,' Kazahaya thought. He started to tremble more violently, not because he was overcome with anxiety, but because the adrenaline of the situation had just hit him. He absently moved a hand up to touch his lips, and seeing Rikuo sitting in front of him, expectantly, he divulged his soul.

"I love you," He said hushed.

"Well, glad to hear it, I love you too," Rikuo said.

Kazahaya's eyes widened as if he didn't believe what he was hearing. The silence was starting to become uncomfortable, and he lowered his head again, this time in thought. Rikuo thought this odd behavior for having just told each other that they were in love. But he didn't have time to finish that thought, as his smaller roommate had pounced full force on him, knocking him on his flat on his back. He looked up at Kazahaya in astonishment, as the other got into a more comfortable position.

When Kazahaya stopped wiggling on top of Rikuo, he was sitting up straight, his legs straddling Rikuo's waist. He bent down so his chest pressed against Rikou's and whispered into his ear.

"Well, Saiga told us to have fun."

A/N: And that's the end. Hope it was mildly entertaining, and if it was, drop me a review! I would love to hear what you think. ...Ah, it's done...


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